Oscar s



(No Mdel.)

O.S.FOSTBR.

BED. N01 597,899.

Patented Jan. 25, 1898.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT EETcE.

OSCAR S. FOSTER, OF IITIOA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE FOSTER BROTHERS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 597,899, dated January 25, 1898.

Application tiled January Z0, 1897. Serial No. 6191920. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern.:

Beit known that I, OSCAR S. FOSTER, of Utica, in the county of Oneida and State of New York, have invented cert-ain new and useful Improvements in Beds; and I do hereby declare-that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to Which it appertains to `make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals and letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

Figure l shows a perspective view of a corner of a bed-frame or cot embodying my improvements. Fi g. 2 shows aperspective View, from the outside, of a modified form of construction. cerner of a bedframe of the construction shown in Fig. l. Fig. fl shows a plan view of a construction as shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 shows an end view, from the inner. side, of the cross-bar of the frame in open or extended position. Fig. 6 shows in the same manner the sam e construction in folded position. Fig. 7 shows in the same manner as Fig. 5 details of a modified form of construction. Fig. 8 shows other details relating to the same modified form of construction.

Referring to the reference numerals and letters in a more particular description, l indicates the side rail, and 2 the cross-bar or end rail, of a bed or bed-frame adapted to siipport a fabric 3, of woven wire or other suitable con-I struction. The end of the woven wire is secured between the body portion 2 of the crossbar and the cleat 2, which in a sense forms a portion of the end or cross bar. For securing the cross-bar to the side rail there is provided. a fastener 4C, which is secured to the side rail by bolts, as shown, or other suitable means are provided, with two perforated ears 4t and al", similar to the knuckles of a hinge, `which extend substantially at right angles to the side rail and project, when the fastener is on the side rail, to a point somewhat above the plane of the upper side of the side rail and to a point inside of the plane of the outer side of the side rail. The ears fl and 4J are adapted to receive the end of the crossebar 2,

Fig. 3 shows a side elevation of a with its slat or hatten 2, between them, and isV hinged thereto by a bolt 5, passing through the ends of the cross-bar and the ears of the fastener. This arrangement forms a hinged joint between the cross-bar and side rails, Vso that the side rails can be swung inwardly from the position shown in Figs. l, 3, 4, and 5 to the folded position shown in Fig. 6, in which position the mattress or bed as a whole will not occupy a much greater thickness than the thickness of the cross-bar and the fabric. This forms a most compactly-foldin g bed which is convenient for shipping or storing and without objectionable projections.

' For securing the bed in open position, so that it will not accidentally fold up, there is provided a hook-brace 6, pivoted to the end 01 cross bar at 6a and having a hooked end Gb, adapted to enter a hole or opening in the end of the side rail l. This hook may be provided with a convolution 6, furnishing elasticity, so that the hooked end 6 may be readily placed or displaced from the hole in the end of the side rail. When the hook-brace is not in use, it may be turned around into the plane of the bed-frame, as shown in Fig. 6. The outwardswinging movement of the side rail is limited by a shoulder of the fastener at a. striking against the end of the cross -bar. This bed-frame is readily formed into a cot by providing short legs '7, which may be inserted in a socket or hole in the lower side of the end of the side rails, one leg at each corn ner of the frame, and these legs fold with the side rail, as appears in Fig. 6.

In the modified form of construction shown in Fig. 2 the cross or end bar, (indicated by 2b in this gure,) including the hatten, which secures the fabric, :is made of less width than the distance between the ears 4 and 4 of the fastener. The bolt 5 in this figure is provided with a thread extending along the bolt `:between the ears of the fastener and adjacent to the ears 4 on which runs a nut 8. This nut is adapted to press against the inner side of the cross or end bar and force it outward, whereby the fabric may be stretched and the device as a whole aifording a fabricstretcher by turning the nut S on the bolt.

In the modified form of construction shown IOO in Figs. 7 and Sthe hoolcbrace 6 is dispensed with and the ear 4 of the previous construction is modiied into the form of ear shown in this construction, as indicated by 4C. This ear is provided with an enlargement, which provides a place for the location of the setscrew 9, screw-threaded into the ear and adapted, when the bed is in open position, to be screwed through the ear and project under the lower side of the cross-bar and prevent the bed being folded until the screw is run outward, so that the end will not project to the inner side of the ear 4c. There is also shown in Fig. 7 a hole 10. This is provided so that the bolt 5 may be removed, and when the bed is in folded position the fastener can be driven along the cross-bar until the holes in the ears will come opposite the opening IO, when the bolt can be replaced. This can be done with the four corners successively and Without entirely taking the bed down, and the bed may thereby be converted into one With an overhanging end rail. While the side rails are in folded position, the end bar can be held against the tension of the fabric to permit this change to be made on one corner of the bed at a time. It will be noted that by reason of the upward projection of the ears on the fastener the fabric of the bed is carried a considerable distance above the upper side of the side rails.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination in a bed, of side rails, cross-bars, and plate-like, corner-fasteners 4 having projecting ears 4a and 4b receiving the cross-bar between them and pivoted therein to permit the side rails to fold between the cross-bars, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in a bed of side rails, cross bars, plate like, corner fasteners 4 having projecting ears 4PL and 4b receiving the cross-bar between them and pivoted therein to permit the folding of the side rails and a means for securing the parts from turning on the pivot, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in a bed of a side rail and cross-bar, a fastener having projecting ears adapted to receive the crossbar, a hinging-bolt with means for adjusting the cross J bar laterally on the hinging-bolt, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OSCAR S. FOSTER. Vitnesses:

PHEBE A. TANNER, D. H. CoLnGRovE. 

